Prioritise transit times to target markets, dock and bay capacity, WMS/TMS integration, inventory accuracy targets, SLA terms (order-to-ship), labour availability, and real estate scalability. Assess returns handling, value-added service capability, and contingency plans for peak season volume to align the 3PL with business KPIs.

Closer access to highways and rail reduces drayage and consolidation costs, shortens lead times, and enables more reliable scheduled pickups. It supports mixed modal transport, lowers empty miles, and improves the economics of LTL lanes and intermodal moves—directly lowering landed cost and improving delivery predictability.

Key cost drivers include land and rent rates, labour costs and shift flexibility, storage density (racking and cube utilization), handling complexity (pick/pack requirements), technology fees, inbound/outbound freight, and seasonality. Also review minimums, billing cadence, and surcharges for special handling or returns management.

Require visibility into WMS/TMS capabilities, API/EDI connectivity, inventory synchronization across channels, real-time reporting, and exception workflows. Define clear SLAs for order accuracy, order cycle times and inventory reconciliation, plus onboarding timelines and support levels to validate the 3PL’s ability to meet omnichannel performance targets.